Shelter Somerset

Thanks to Goodreads for sending this First Reads book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

I tried to like this book, but found it somewhat slow. I also noticed a few things about the writing that detracted from the story. There were descriptions in odd places which made it appear the author was trying too hard, including a few discrepancies in the same descriptions a few pages later, flat descriptions of Amish life, etc. Finally, the romance wasn't something I could connect with. It felt almost empty and flat.

I'd likely not want to read more from this author.… (meer)

I rarely read historical novels, but, on occasion, I come across one that sounds intriguing. So, I am no expert, but this one truly fascinated me. It has great attention to detail, characters that come alive and are so real to me that I feel as if I have actually met them, and the suspense kept me turning the pages. The topic of a ‘mail order bride’ in times before the Internet is as interesting as the way Franklin and Tory end up dealing with the deception Tory commits. The basic problem of not knowing who is at the other end of the correspondence before there were telephones and video conferences is not so very different from meeting someone only in cyberspace, but the implications back then were very different and the historical setting added a lot of depth to what was going on.

Tory, the son of Swedish Immigrants born in Chicago, is so lonely it made my heart hurt. He doesn’t even admit it to himself until he meets Joseph – and sees what it might be like to have a friend, and, eventually, a lover. When tragedy strikes he is desperate enough to try anything to alleviate the crushing emptiness in his heart. It takes him a while to realize how much he will have to distance himself from his parents, but when he does, he grows up fast. I can totally understand why he acts the way he does with Franklin, even while knowing that the train wreck is unavoidable. And, boy, did it still hurt when it happens!

Franklin, while physically strong, is a wounded war veteran who has learned to deal with life with one arm. What he is not willing to accept (yet) is that he will remain a bachelor. His ‘personal ad’ ends up getting him a much better response than he ever expected. He values honesty, having faced a fight with a local ‘bandit; in sheep’s clothing for a long time, so when he discovers Tory’s deception it hits him especially hard. His subsequent road to ‘enlightenment’ is painful, and I hung on every word as he worked his way through dealing with the aftermath.

This book, while set at the end of the 19th century, has many lessons that are as important today as they were back then. I loved the added sense of adventure the ‘Wild West’ setting gave me, and enjoyed exploring the new territory along with Tory. If you enjoy historical set in the Wild West, reading this is a must. If you are looking for a character-driven story with wonderful emotional depth, please give this one a try. And if you enjoy the sense of adventure that comes from exploring a ‘world’ not well known to you, you will probably like this book as much as I did.



NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
… (meer)

Thanks to Goodreads for sending this First Reads book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

I tried to like this book, but found it somewhat slow. I also noticed a few things about the writing that detracted from the story. There were descriptions in odd places which made it appear the author was trying too hard, including a few discrepancies in the same descriptions a few pages later, flat descriptions of Amish life, etc. Finally, the romance wasn't something I could connect with. It felt almost empty and flat.

I'd likely not want to read more from this author.… (meer)